Chapter 5 > The Global Economy > Economic Priorities in U.S. Foreign Policy

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Economic Priorities in U.S. Foreign Policy

Economic Priorities in U.S. Foreign Policy Consistent with their declining enthusiasm about globalization and its impact on jobs, most Americans want policymakers to place a high priority on domestic economic concerns. Though there is less concern about economic competition, concern about the domestic economy has grown substantially since 1998, when 11% mentioned it as one of the two or three biggest problems facing the country, placing it sixth on this list of problems. Today, 22% mention the economy as a problem, putting it second only behind terrorism as a big concern. An additional 9% mention unemployment as a concern. As indicated in Chapter 2, an overwhelming 85% say that protecting the jobs of American workers should be a very important goal of U.S. foreign policy, making it the third highest-ranking goal and the highest level seen on this item in all Chicago Council surveys (see Figure 5-5). Considerably lower, though still a plurality, is the 49% who regard protecting the interests of American business abroad as very important.

The goal of securing adequate supplies of energy, essential to economic health, is also highly rated, with 75% saying it is very important, up 11 points since 1998. This increase may reflect concern about terrorism and instability in the Middle East as well as President Bush’s widely publicized emphasis on finding alternate energy supplies, especially in Alaska. Sixty-five percent of Americans say they approve of using U.S. troops to ensure the supply of oil, with only 30% opposed.

In geopolitical terms, economic vitality is clearly seen as important by the American public. By more than a two-to-one margin (66% to 27%), they believe that economic strength is more important than military strength in “determining a country’s overall power and influence in the world”—a ratio that has increased slightly after September 11.